Dalla slid her seat back and rotated it around. "Professor Moderaan, Just a couple of questions? Please? I'm scared to death and everyone watching is,too. IF my feed is live right now. I am an EYE after all. Please?" Narchi sighed and said, "Sure,'all seeing EYE of Balaam'." Dalla asked, "What IS the plan? There are some engineers on board, but what about flight-crew, command, and gunners?" Narchi smiled instead of looking grim. He said casually, "There's the flight crew for now,"He pointed at F'loona in the cockpit, who waved back over a shoulder. "We have some gunners in route. Captain Tkarro is in the city with Commander Rose's children. Rose is ...unavailable." Dalla gambled and said, "Because of that custody hearing thing with the other Cyclops about her newborn?" Nachi dropped the casual demeanor like a porcelain mask. He darkly said, "I don't want to talk about crew family problems behind their back! How in HELL did you find out about...?" Dalla said evenly, "It's a matter of public record. Omega, if that's his name, KILLED someone! He crushed the Adopted daughter's pelvis, and almost killed the youngest sister! "I mean, come on! 'Death by Baby' was all over the news outlets last year. He WAS the first Cyclops to be born with an 'inbuilt RIF generator'. I mean....what is going on? The Cyclops are so unknown and mysterious...I just want to get a handle on them emotionally." Narchi spat out, "HANDLE? Dammit, Rose and Thistledown's hearts are broken. Some of the Consensus said she's unfit for this 'evolutionary leap forward' she gave birth to. She almost lost her youngest daughters. She's strong, but hurting. "You've never seen her down on the floor plying with her kids, give Sunny rides and wrestling with Lime. She loves her children. You can't put a human face on her, because she's machine-life and that makes a gap that is hard to bridge." Floona said,"Narchi! Call!" A 'window' appeared in the window outside, and a man whistled and waved. "YO, Narch! Enroute to the space-battleship. ETA about three minutes. We really taking off in ten? Can it be done?" "Hey, Kajer! If you're still flying that windowed coffin of yours, just fly into the vehicle bay and park it next to the gangway to fire-control. I already remote enabled the start-up with authority as chief engineer." Narchi sounded cool and calm, but Dalla knew that was an act. "Major Kajer Kuroda reporting for duty, SIR! How did Admiral Ricter sign off on this?" The major looked wryly at Narchi. Narchi shrugged. "It's easier to be forgiven than get permission! I'm NOT letting this ship be blown to shit while I'm alive! The word just came through that the UCSF Mauler bought it out-system. TWL, Ragdoll, Upsilon and some others were on board." "If I have to climb the Bucky-cables to orbit and KNIFE every one of those mother-fucking murderers in EYES to kill them, I will. The Asurans have it coming." Narchi was grim and filled with implacable wrath as he growled out those words. Kuroda said, "Think the Cyclops will fire the Planetary Defense Cannon at them?" Narchi said, "Not my call. Just shag your ass onboard! We need to lift BEFORE the Asurans are knocking on the hull. Out." He turned to the EYE. "Dalla--you'll be a gunner,too. Just like a video game. Neblae told me you LOVE video games. We'll stick you in a turret. She's in Firetown, right now. So's your family,too?" Dalla teared up in fear. She clenched her fists. Narchi said, "Turn it! They will KILL your whole family and Neblae! UNLESS YOU kill them FIRST. Be angry! Use that rage against THEM!" Dalla said with a smile, "I can see why Neblae fell in love with you, Hobgoblin!" The shuttle touched down. Narchi leapt up and punched Dalla in the shoulder. He grinned as he ran out the open hatch, "DON'T GO SOFT ON ME!" --TO BE CONTINUED!--